Signaling system



June 19, 1934. J, H. Voss 1,963,600

SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Oct'. 13, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l 3 Shee'S-Sheet 2 i mm 'June 19, 1934. J, H. VOSS I sIGNALING'sYsTsM Filed oct. 13. 195o J. H. Voss SIGNALING SYSTEM June 19, 1934.

Fied oct. 15. 195o 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MUT M46.

MAPG. AM77/M46.

Patented June 19, 1934 n PATENT ori-ICE SIGNALING SYSTEM John 1I.` Voss, Berwyn. lll., assiznor. by menne assignments, to Associated Electric Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Del- Application October 13, 1930, Serial No. 488,363

' 9 Claims.

This invention relates to electric signaling systems in general, but more particularly it relates to those signaling systems in which the transmiti vted signals comprise series of electrical impulses corresponding tonumbers orA letters, which impulses are employed to operate selecting or translating mechanisms which cause certain ones of a plurality of lamps in a lamp panel to glow and thereby exhibit the corresponding numbers or letters through a glass panel. p

The requirements for signaling systems in the present era are both many and varied and to meet those requirements, many signaling systems have been devised.. Chief among the requirements is a requirement for a signaling system which will automatically display a plurality of signals one at a time and for a predetermined period of time upon a single display panel, but

which signals-may be recalled if desired and be caused to be re-displayed. The provision of an -electric signaling system to meet this chief requirement has been assumed as the principal object-of the invention.

Among the many features vof this invention is the arrangement whereby the automatic display of the plurality of signals may be arrested in' `order that a selected one of the plurality of signals may be recalled and displayed continuously for any desired length of time.

This feature and others which are not being individually pointed out. at this time will be apparent from the detailed description which is to follow when it is studied in conjunction with the accompanying drawings comprising Figs. 1 to 3,

' inclusive, which by means of the usual circuit symbols diagrammatically depict the signaling system of this invention.

It is contemplated to use the system of this invention in a factoryor businesshouse which has aprivate automatic telephone exchange system and in which it is required that certain information be transmitted to a central point from various departments in the organization, which information may be used for the coordination of the efforts of those various departments. In

the system. shown in the drawings, the amount of 'equipment required to complete the system has been reduced by utilizing the private automatic telephone equipment to a large extent.

For convenience in describing the operation 0fthe system ofthis invention, it will be assumed that, in the place where thesystem is to be used,

y there are ten departments which are to transmit to a supervisonrthree ldigit numbers .constituting 'signals which will supply the supervisor with the desired information. Accordingly, a register,

upon which signals may be stored while waiting to be displayed upon a display panel before the supervisor, has been allotted for the individual use of each of the ten departments.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows thev register selecting mechanism comprising a, group of relays and the register selecting switch RS. This equipment is selectable to all of the departments in a manner about to be described in connection with one oi the departments represented by station A. The equipment is selectable to station A by means of the automatic lineswitch C and the Strowger switch D, which switches, because of their being so well known in the telephone art and because they do not constitute a part of this invention. have not been shown in detail bit have merely been represented by the rectang es. the usual telephone talking and listening instrumentalities, is provided with a calling device or impulse sender S with which stations are provided in automatic telephone systems. This calling device or impulsesender S has been represented by a pair of normally engaged impulse springs, .which in the well vknown manner are separated by an impulse cam oneor several times in quick succession totransmit one^ or a) series of impulses. Thiscalling device is` utilized first to operate the switch D to select the relay group, second to operate the register selector RS to s'elect a certain register, and third to transmit signals to the selected register. v, Fig. 2.shows one of the ten registers accessible` to the register-selector RS. This register comprises the sequence selecting switch SS and the three digit selectors which ,are thevhundreds selector HS, the tens selector TS, and the 'units selector US. Hereinaften'this register, since'it is shown as connected to the first' set of. bank contacts of the register selector RS, wlllbe termed register group No. 1, and it will be assumed that this register is allotted to th'e department 4represented by station A. K n

The firstwof the three series'oi-v impulses received vby the .register group No. `1 lduring signal transmissions will be routed by thesequencev vselector SS to the hundreds selector HS, while the second andthird series will be routed'v bythe sefquence selector SS to the tensselector TS andthe units selector US, respectively.l j

The signal fdisplay panel represented 'by the rectangle in the upperright-hand'jcorner ofFflg.

.2 is thepanel ponjwhich the signals; are 115.- vplayed and which is located in"view of 'the suevo los

pervisor. This panel comprises the three rows of ten lamps each, which are entitled the hundreds, tens and units rows. These lamps when lighted will exhibit the numerals by which they are indicated in the drawings, through the glass panel in the well known manner. The ten lamps in the hundreds row are connected to the ten contacts of the hundreds selector HS in proper order so that when the hundreds selector is set upon its first contact it will be in connection with signal lamp No. 1 and when on its tenth contact will be in connection with signal lamp No. 0. The ten conductors connecting the ten lamps in the hundreds row with the hundreds selector have been represented by the single conductor '74 in order to avoid complication of the drawings. In a like manner the ten lamps in the tens row are connected to the bank contacts of the tens selector TS as represented by the conductor 75, while the ten lamps in the units row are connected to the bank contacts of the units selector US as presented by the conductor 76.

Inasmuch as the ten register groups areidentical with each other, it is thought that the showing of register group No. 1 will suilice for a complete understanding of the system.

As indicated by the arrows on conductors 74, and '16, the ten lamps in the hundreds row of the signal display panel are multipled to the bank contacts of all of the hundreds selector switches HS, While the ten lamps in the tens row and the ten lamps in the units row are, respectively, multipled to all of the bank contacts of the tens selector switches and to the bank contacts of all` the units selector switches.

How only one signal will be displayed upon the signal display panel at a time with the lamps multiply connected to all of the registers will be evident as the description progresses.

Towards the lower right-hand corner of Fig. 2 is represented a second lamp panel which is termed the supevisors display panel. This panel comprises two rows of lamps, the upper row of which is termedthe green set-up lamps while the lower row is termed the red display lamps. There will be as many pairs of lamps in this panel, each pair comprising one of the green set-up lamps and one of the red display lamps, as there are register groups. This panel is located at the supervisors station and is for the purpose which will be later evident.

Fig. 3 shows what is termed the common equipment which controls the selection of the signal to be displayed and the length of time which that signal will be displayed. This common equipment comprises the display selector DS which determines the register signals to be displayed, and the display timing switch DTS which times a display. The relays intermediate these two switches control the operation thereof.

Towards the upper right-hand corner of Fig. 3 is a group of non-locking type keys which correspond in number to the number of register groups, there being one such key for each register group. By the operation of one of these keys, the automatic operation 'of the common equipment will be arrestd and the signal registered on the corresponding register group Will be displayed continuously as long as the register key remains in its operated position. This operation will be explained in detail later.

When the operator at the station A, Fig. 1, desires to register a signal upon the register allotted to his department, which it has been assumed is register group No. 1, Fig. 2, and have that signal automatically displayed upon the signal display panel, he will remove the receiver R from the switch-hook and thereby close the'loop circuit over conductors l and 2 for the automatic lineswitch C which is individual to the line connecting the station A with the private automatic' exchange. Llneswitch C thereupon functions in the well known manner to select a trunk leading to an idle switch, such as the Strowger switch D, to prepare that switch for operation under control of the calling device S. The switch D is assumed to be a selector switch which is well known in the telephone art. No particular type of selector switch other than one which permits loop impulsing has been selected for use herein since there are a great many such switches which `may be used.

After the operator has operated the calling device S in accordance with the one digit required to elevate the wipers of the switchD to the proper level oi' bank contacts and the selector has automatically rotated its wipers into engagement with the contacts of the line conductors 3 and 4 and the private normal conductor 5 leading to the relay group associated with the register selector RS, a loop circuit is completed through the selector D for the relay 6 by way of line conductors 3 and 4. Relay 6 immediately operates and attracts its armatures 7 and 8 into engagement with their make contacts thereby, at its armature '7, completing the circuit for the slow-to-release relay 9, and, at its armature 8, preparing a circuit for the slow-to-release relay 18 for a purpose which will be described subsequently.

Relay 9 immediately operates and at its armature l'connects ground to the private normal conductor 5 to hold the switch D and to mark the relay group busy to any other switch similar to the switch D. At its armature 1l relay 9 prepares an impulsing circuit through the series relay 12.

Since it is the register group No. 1 upon which the operator wishes to register the signal 345, for example, he will next operate his calling device to send one impulse through the selector D to relay 6. Relay 6 follows this impulse by deenergizing and retracting its armatures 7 and 8, the retraction of armature l8 being without any elect at this time. However, at armature rI a ground impulse is transmitted by way of armature 11 and make contact of relay 9, winding of relay 12, armature 21 and resting contact of relay 20, winding of operating magnet 25 of the register selector RS, to battery. The operating magnet 25 thereupon energizes and advances the wipers 27 and 28 into engagement with the first set of contacts.

Register selector RS is of the well known rotary type of switch whose wipers have a normal position and are moved in a step-by-step manner from that normal position upon the energization of the operating magnet 25, and whose wipers are returned to the normal position in the opposite direction upon the energization of the release magnet 26. Switches HS, TS and US are the same type of switches.

Relay 6 reenergizes upon the termination of the impulse and by attracting its armature 7, opens the circuit of the series relay 12 and the operating magnet 25 which magnet 25 thereupon deenergizes.

Series relay 12 energized in series with the operating magnet 25 when the-impulse is transmitted to the operating magnet by relay 6 and attracts its armatures 13 and 14 to complete the circuit for the slow-to-release relay 18 at its armature 13 and to open a point'in the circuit of relay 20 at its armature 14. Because relay 12 is slow-torelease it will 'remain operated an interval after relay 6 has reenergized and opened the impulsing circuit, likewise, relay 12 also because of the slowto-release feature will remain operated during the transmission of a series of impulses should the relay 6 be alternately deenergized and energized a plurality of times in quick succession to transmit a plurality of impulses. Relay 18 energizes when its circuit is completed by relay 12 and attracts its amature to open a point in the circuit of the slow-to-release relay 15 and -the tone relay 19.

When relay 12 finally releases, at its armature 14 it completes the circuit of the relay 20 through the off-normal springs 28' of the register selector RS, which springs are allowed to move into engageme'nt with each other when the wipers 27 and 28 of the register selector are stepped from their normal position. The circuit of relay 18 is opened when armature 13 of relay 12 is retracted but this relay remains operated for an interval, vbecause of the slow-to-release feature, for a pur- 14 and resting contact of relay 12, while at itsv armature 23 it connects the winding of relay 18 to the wiper 28 and consequently tothe conductor leading to the register group No. 1 by way of armature 17 Vand resting contact of relay 15, armature 13 and resting contact of relay 1 2, and armature 8 and make contact of relay 6.

Relay 18 restores its armature into engagement `with its resting contact an interval after its circuit was opened at amature 13 of relay 12 and thereby completes the circuits of relays 15 and 19 from ground by way of make contact and innerupper armature of relay 20. These relays immediately operate.

Relay l5 in operating, at its armature l'prepares a circuit for release magnet 26 of the register, selector RS and, at its armature i7, opens a point in the circuit of relay 18 to prevent operation of this relay the next time relay 12 operates.

Relay 19 is a differential relay. that is, its upper and lower windings are equal but have opposite effects upon the relay. Relay 19 operates when the circuit of its lower winding is completed by relay 18 and at its armature completes the circuit of its upper winding. This energizes the upper'` winding, neutralizing the eiIect of its lower winding. Relay 19 thereupon restores its armature and opens the circuit of its upper winding. Since the lower winding of relay 19 is still energized, itY

will again attract its armature andcomplete the circuit ot its upper winding again. This again neutralizes the effect of the lower winding and the armature is again retracted. 'I'his action o f relay 19 will continue as long' as the circuit of the l that everything is in readiness to receive the-signal which he is about to transmit.

The operator will now operate his calling de-` vice S to transmit three impulses in accordance with the iirst digit three" of the signal 345, and thereafter will operate his calling device to transmit a series of four impulses and another series of tive impulses. This operation causes the relay 6 to transmit three impulses'through the series relay 12 and over the wiper 27 of switch RS and conduca/)L29 to the register group No. l. Since the sequence selector SS of the register group' No. 1, Fig. 2, has its wipers 42 and 43 in engagement with its ilrst set of contacts, the three impulses over the conductor 29 will be routed by way of wiper 42 of sequence selector SS, over conductor 45 to the operating magnet 48 of the hundreds selector HS. 'I'he operating magnet 48 will energize and deenergize three times in quick succession to move the wiper 54 of the hundreds selector HS' into engagement with its third contact, which movement of wiper 54 allows the offnormal springs 55 to move into engagement with each other. Relay 34 also receives the impulses and upon the reception of the first one energizes and attracts its armatures 35 and 36. By the attraction oi' ts armature 35 it completes a cir- -cuit for its upper winding which, in the welll known manner, makes the relay 34 a slow-torelease relay, while at its armature 36 it completes the circuit for relay 37. Relay 37 is similar to the relay 34 and at its armature 38 it completes a circuit for its upper Winding which makes that relay slow-to-release and at armature 39 it prepares a circuit for the operating magnet 40 of the sequence selector SS. Since relay 34 is made slow-to-release by the completion of the circuit of its upper winding, this relay will remain in its energized position throughout the series of impulses transmitted over the conductor 29 to the register group. When the rst series oi' impulses is completed, relay 34 will finally restore and at its armature 36 open the circuit of slow-torelease relay 37 and complete a circuit for the operating magnet 40 of the sequence selector SS by way of armature 39 and make contact of relay 37, since the relay 37 is also slow-to-release'and maintains its armature 39 in engagement with its make contact for a short interval after its circuit is opened by the retraction of armature 36 of relay 34. Therefore, operating magnet 40 receives one impulse which causes it to move the wipers 42 and 43 of the sequence selector SS into engagement with the second set of bank contacts, thereby connecting the impulse conductor 29 to conductor'46 which leads to the operating magnet of the tens selector TS and allows the off-normal springs 44 to engage each other to connect ground in multiple with the oil-normal springs oi.' the hundreds selector HS to conductor 33 for a purpose which will be described later. I

When the next series of four impulses, corresponding to the second digit of the signal, is transmitted by the relay 6 over the impulse conductor4 29, the relays 34 and 37 will again operate and remain operated until the impulse series is completed, and the magnet 50 of the tens selector TSv will receive four impulses by way of magnet eil of the sequence selector SS to move the wipers i2 and 43 into engagement with the third set of bank contacts, thereby connecting the impulse conductor 29 to conductor e7 leading to the operating magnet 52 of the units selector US. i

When the third series of ve impulses is received over the conductor 29, the relays 34 and 37 again operate and this time the operating magnet 52 of the units selector US operates in response to the impulses and moves the wiper 58 into engagement with the fth contact `of its bank. this movement allowing the ofi-normal springs 59 and 62 to engage each other. At the completion of the impulse series, relays 34 and 37 again function to transmit an impulse to the operating magnet 40 of the sequence selector SS to move the wipers 42 and 43 into engagement with the fourth set o1 contacts of the banks. In this position of wiper 42, a portion of the impulse transmitted to operating magnet 40 is transmitted by way of wiper 43 to conductor 73, which is connected to the fourth bank contact, and consequently to the upper winding of relay 62. Relay 62 immediately operates and at its armature 63 completes a locking circuit for itself by way of conductor 61 and resting contact and armature 32 of-relay 31, so that relay 62 will remain operated after relay 37 opens the circuit of the operating magnet 40 at its armature 39. Relay 62 also attracts its armatures 64 to 66. inclusive.

When the units selector US was operated and the off-normal springs 60 were closed, the obvious circuit for the No. 1 green set-up lamp was completed to indicate to the supervisor that a signal has been transmitted from station A and registered upon the No. 1 register group.

By the positioning of the wipers 54, 56, and 58 of the digit selecting switches HS, TS, and US, respectively, circuits are prepared for the No. 3 lamp in the hundreds row, the No. 4 lamp in the tens row, and the No. 5 lamp in the units row in the signal display panel. Inasmuch as the relay 72 has not yet been operated these lamps will not light.

Since the operator at station A has completed the transmission oi' the signal, he will replace the receiver R upon the switch-hook and thereby open the loop circuit to cause the release of the lineswitch C and the selector D, and also the release of the relay group. When the receiver R is replaced, the loop circuit over conductors 3 and 4 for relay 6 is opened and this relay restores to normal, opening the circuit of the slowto-release relay 9 at its armature 7. Relay 9 restores and at its armature 10 removes ground from.Y private normal conductor 5, allowing the selector D and lineswitch C to restore and condition station A for regular telephone service. Since relay 15 is operated, the release of relay 9 completes, at its armature 10, the circuit for the release magnet 26 of the register selector RS by way of armature 16 and make contact of relay 15. Release magnet 26 thereupon operates to restore the wipers 27 and 28 to their normal positions and to disengage the olf-normal springs 28', thereby opening the locking circuit of relay 20. Relay 20, thereupon restores and at its inner-upper armature opens the circuits of the relay 15 and the tone relay 19. Relay 15 in retracting its armature 16 opens the circuit of the release magnet 26 and the equipment is now in readiness to again be taken into use by a selector switch such as the switch D.

Besides completing a. locking circuit for itself Leeaeco at its armature 63 when it energizes, relay 62 at its armature 65 connects the conductor 68 with conductor 70 and at its armature 68 connects ground to the start conductor 7l. The attraction of armature 64 of relay 62 into engagement with its make contact is without particular effect at this time. The attraction of armature 66 removes ground from the conductor 69 for a. purpose which will be described later.

Should another department, that, for example, to which the register group No. 2 is allotted, haveinformation at this time to transmit to the supervisor, the person in that department whose duty it is to transmit such information will remove the telephone receiver R at his sta.- tion from the hook to cause the lineswitch C individual to that station to select a switch such as the selector D and by the operation of his calling device will cause the switch D to connect that station with the equipment df Fig. 1,where upon the relay 6 will energize and prepare the impulsing circuit for the motor magnet 25 of the register selector RS. Since it has been assumed that the register group #2 is the desired register group. the operator at the station will operate his impulse sender S to transmit two impulses to the relay 6, which relay will then transmit two impulses to the motor magnet 25. As a result, the wipers 27 and 28 of the register selector RS will be positioned on the second bank contacts to which are fastened the conductors 29' and 30' leading to the No. 2 register group.

The No. 2 register group and the other register groups have not been shown in the drawings because it is believed that a showing of them would unnecessarily complicate the drawings since the register groups are identical with the No. 1 register group and respond to impulses exactly asV just described in connection with register group No. l.

Therefore, after the digit selectors of register n group No. 2 have been set in accordance with the transmitted signal, the relay 62 of that register group is operated to lock itself in op erated position, to disconnect ground from the conductor 67', to connect the conductor 68 to the conductor 70 of that register group, and to connect ground to the conductor 71 ofthe No. 2 register group.

When the wiper of the units selector oi the No. 2 register group is moved from its normal position, the ofi -normal springs associated therewith are allowed to engage each other and thereby complete the circuit for the No. 2 green set-up lamp to indicate to the supervisor that a signal is registered in the No. 2 register group.

Returning now to the operation oi the equipment after the relay 62 of No. 1 register group operated, when ground is connectedto the start conductor 71, the circuit ofthe start relay 86 of the common equipment of Fig. 3 is completed by way of wiper 100 of the display timing switch DTS, conductor 105, armature 92 and resting contact of relay 91, through the winding of relay 86 and through a non-inductive resistance to battery. Relay 86 operates at armature 87 and completes a locking circuit for itself by way of conductor 104 to the start conductor 71 independent of the wiper 100 of the display timing switch DTS, and at its armature 88 completes a circuit for the slow-to-release relay 81 in series with the marginal motor magnet 77 of the display selector DS. Relay 81 thereupon operates, but, because of the relatively high resistance oi' this relay, the marginal motor magnet 77 does not operatively energize. Upon energizing, relay 81 at its armature 83 connects groundto conductor 68 by way of wiper 79 to complete the 'circuit of relay 72. Fig. 2, by way of armature 65 and make contact of relay 62 and conductor v70, at its armature 84 completesY the obvious circuit for the slow-to-energize relay A93, at its armature 85 connects the wiper 80 of the display selector DS with the wiper 101 of the display timing switch DTS by way of conductor 107, and at its armature 82 prepares a circuit for short-circuiting the start relay 86.

Relay 72 energizes when its circuit is so completed and connects ground to the wipers 54, 56 and 58 of the digit selectors and connects ground to the No. 1 red display lamp in the operators display, panel, thereby causing the signal 345 corresponding to the setting of the digit selectors to be exhibited upon the display panel and the No. 1` red display lamp in the operator's display panel to glow to indicate to the supervisor that the signal stored in the No. 1 register' group is being exhibited in the display panel.

When the start relay 86 energized, at its armature 90 it completed the obvious circuit for the audible signal AS to attract the supervisor's attermen to the met niet a signal is being exhibited. W

When the circuit of the slow-telenergize relay 93 is completed by the relay 81, this relay operates and completes the circuit for the slow-toenergize relay 94 in multiple therewith. Relay 94 energizes after .an interval and completes the obvious circuit for the slow-to-energize relay 95 When relay 95 operatively energizes at its armature 96 it short-circuits the winding of relay 93 'to cause that relay to deenergize, which it thereupon does and opens the circuit of relay 94. Relay 94 also deenergizesA and opens the circuit of relay-95, which, when it deenergizes, at its armature 96 removes the short-circuit from relay 93. Relay 93 again energizes when the short circuit is removed and again causes the energizetion of the, relay 94 to complete the same cycle of operations.

When the relay 95 is energized, at its armature 97 it completes a circuit for the motor magnet 98 of the display timing switch DTS from ground by way of armature 90 and make contact of relay 86, make contact and armature 97 of relay 95, wiper 102 of display timing switch DTS, and winding of motor magnet 98 to battery. The motor magnet 98 energizes in this circuit and prepares to step the wipers 1,00 to 102, inclusive, of the display timing switch DTS onto its next set of bank contacts upon its deenergization.

The display timing switch DTS and the display selector DS are of the well known type of rotary switches whose wipers move in a forward direction only andare moved in a step-by--step fashion upon the "deenergization of the motor magnet.

Thus, when the'relay 95 deenergizes upon the opening of the circuit with the deenergization of relay 94 in the cycle of operations `iustA explained, the circuit of the motor magnet 98 is opened with the retraction of armature 97 and the wipers of the display timing switch are advanced into engagement with the second set of contacts of their bank. When the wipers of the display timing switch DTS move from their normal or starting position, the off-normal springs 103 close to prepare a homing circuit for the timing switch.

Inasmuch as the relays 93, 94 and 95 will continue in their cycle of operations as long as relay 81remains operated. the motor magnet 98 of the display timing switch DTS receives an impulse upon each energization of the relay 95 and 'consequently the wipers of the timing switch will be stepped from contacts to contacts. Because of the slow-to-energize feature of relays 93, 94, and 95, a considerable time interval is inserted between impulses transmitted to motor magnet 98. After the wipers 100 to 102, inclusive, have taken their fourth step, the motor magnet 98 can no longer be influenced by the operation of the relay 95 since the wiper 102 when on its fifth bank contact does not connect with the conductor leading to the winding of the motor magnet 98. Consequently the display timing switch DTSl will remain in` this position until some other circuit for the motor magnet 98 is completed. With the wiper 101 in its fourth position, that is in engagement with its fifth bank contact, ground connected to that bank contact is connected by way of wiper 101, conductor 107, make contact and armature 85 of relay 81, wiper 80 of display selector DS, to conductor 67v and armature 64 and make contact of relay 62 to shortcircuit the lower or locking winding of that relay. Consequently, relay 62 restores and retracts its armatures 63 to 66, inclusive. The retraction of varmature 65 opensy the circuit of the relay 72 'which relay thereupon deenergizes and extinguishes the lighted lamps in the signal display panel and the No. 1 red display lamp in the supervisor's display panel. At its armature 66, the relay 62 replaces ground on conductor 69, which ground, since armature 82 of relay 81 is in engagement with its make contact, shortcircuits the start relay 86 of the common equipment. Relay 86 thereupon deenergizes and at its armature 87 opens its locking circuit and at its armature 88 opens the circuit of the slowto-release relay 81. At its armature 90, relay 86 completes the homing circuit for the display timing switch DTS by way of oil-normal springs 103 and self interrupting contacts 99 of motor magnet 98. In the well known manner, motor magnet 98 functions to step the Wipers 100 to 102, inclusive, to their starting positions, that in which they are shown in the drawings, in a -buzzer-like fashion. When the wipers reachtheir starting position, the off-normal springs 103 are openedsand, the homing circuit of the display timing switch is also opened. 'Therefore, the display timing switch will remain in this starting position until relays 93 to 95,- inclusive, again function to transmit impulses to the motor magnet 98.

Relay 81 deenergizes a short interval after 130 `its circuit is opened at armature 88 of start relay 86 and at its armature 82 'removes the short-circuit from the start relay 86 and at its armature84 opens the circuit of the relay 93 and whichever of the relays 94 and 95 are oper- 135 ated at that time, to prevent further transmission of impulses to the motor magnet 98.

If at this time vthere is a signal registered upon one of the other registers, register No. 2 for example, and waitingto be displayed upon the sig- 140 nal display panel, the relay 62' associated with that register will be in its operated position and the register start conductor 71will have ground thereon. Therefore, when the wiper 100 of the display timing switch DTS reaches its home po- '145 sition and the relay 81 has retracted its armature 82 to remove the short-circuit from the relay 86, the circuit of relay 86 will again be completed over conductor y105 and wiper 100 and this relay will again operate. Since the relay 62 of the reg- 5 ister group No. 1 is in its retracted position, ground is connected by way of amature 64 and its resting contact; to conductor 67. 'Ihis ground operates the marginal motor magnet 77 of the display selector DS. when the relay 86 attracts its armature 89, to step the wipers 78 to 80, inclusive, into engagement with the second set of contacts of its bank. This circuit of motor magnet 77 includes the wiper 80, armature 85 and resting contact of relay 81, and make contact and armature 89 of relay 86. The armature 89 of relay 86 is so adjusted that it will engage its make contact before the armature 88 of relay 86 engages its make contact upon the energization of the relay 86. By this arrangement it is assured that relay 81 will be short-circuited and that the motor magnet 77 will energize. When the motor magnet 77 energizes it operates its self-interrupting contacts to cause its deenergization and the'stepping of the wipers of the display selector DS. Since it is assumed that the signal waiting to be displayed is registered in register group No. 2, when in engagement with its second bank contact wiper 80 will not encounter ground upon the conductor 67' since the relay 62 associated with the second register group is in its energized position. Therefore, the relay 81 will no longer be short-circuited and it will energize in series with the marginal motor magnet 77, which magnet as stated before will not operate in series with the relay 8l. Upon the operation of relay 81, the timing impulse relays 93 to 95, inclusive, are started into operation and the timing switch is again, operated to time the display oi register group No. 2 which is beingV displayed at this time because of the ground connected to conductor 68 by way of wiper 79 and make contact and armature 83 of relay 81, causing the energization of the relay 72 associated with the second register group. The No. 2 red display lamp is also lighted to indicate to the supervisor which signal is being displayed.

When the display timing switch has taken four steps, the relay 62 of the register group No. 2 will be short-circuited as explained in connection with register group No. 1, thereby causingfthe release of the start relay 86 of the common equipment which will cause the restoration of the timing switch to its starting position as previously explained. If at this time there are no more signals waiting to be displayed, the wiper 100 upon reaching its starting position will not encounter ground and the starting relay this time will remain inert. However, if there is still a signal waiting to be displayed on some register, other than registers No. 1v or No. 2, the equipment will again function and the display selector DS will be rotated step-by-step until it encounters the contact to which the conductor 67 of the register in which is stored the signal to be displayed, since, when the wiper 80 reaches this contact, no ground will be encountered and the relay 81 will no longer be short-circuited.

From the foregoing it can readily be seen that each time a signal is stored upon one of the register groups the common equipment will function to select that register group and cause the signal stored therein to be displayed for a period of time equal to that required for the timing switch TS to take four steps. Inasmuch as the relay 6210i? each of these register groups is restored to its normal position after the signal registered therein has been displayed, .that signal can be displayed only once since the wiper 80 of the display selector DS every time it comes in contact with a conductor 67 having ground thereon will step its wipers onto the next contact. It there are ten register groups, and the register selector RS, Fig. l, and the display selector DS, Fig. 3, have been shown as capable o! handling' only ten registers, only ten displays can be automatically displayed upon the display panel without changing one of the stored signals. However, this number of registers can be increased by providing larger capacity selectors for the register selector and for the display selector. 'I'herefore,after the tenth display has been made, the wiper100 of the display timing switch DTS upon reaching its starting position can no longer encounter ground since all of the relays 62 will be in their deenergized positions and no start conductor 71 will have ground connected thereto. Therefore, in order to have the common equipment again function a new signal must be registered in one of the register groups. However, if the supervisor desires at any time to recall one of the signals registered in one of the register groups, but which has already been displayed, he may have that signal displayed by the operation of the `correspending register key.

If it is the desire of the supervisor to have `the signal registered in register group No. 1 displayed for the second time, he will operate the No. 1 register key in Fig. 3, completing the following circuit: ground, armature 88 and resting contact of relay 86, winding of relay 91, conductor 106, closed contacts of No. 1 register key, conductor 70, winding of relay 72, to battery. Relays 72 and 91 operate in this circuit and'relay 72 connects ground to the Wipers of the digit selectors to complete the circuits of the lamps in the display panel, while it also lights the red display lamp in the supervisors display panel. Relay 91 at its armature 92 opens the initial energizing circuit of the start relay 86 to prevent any operation of this relay as long as the No. 1 register key is depressed should a new signal be registered.

ing a display, at its armature 88 has removed the ground from the winding of relay 91. However, when the start relay 86 has been short-circuited at the completion oi the proper time limit, as has been explained, the relay 91 will operate in series with the relay 72 of the register group corresponding to the register key depressed and at its armature 92 will open the circuit of the relay 86 to prevent operation of this relay when the display timing switch reaches its lnormal position should another signal be waitingv to be displayed. As long as the No. 1 register key remains depressed, the relays 91 and 72 will remain operated and the signal will be displayed upon the panel. When the register key No. 1 is released, relays 91 and 72 will restore and the circuit oi' relay 86 will again be closed at the armature 92 oi' relay 91, while the signal lamps in the to select the No. 1 register group which is allotted to his station, in the manner previously described. This time, however, when the register selector has its wipers positioned in engagement with the contacts to which conductors 29 and 30 are conj nected, the wiper 30 will encounter ground because of the ground connected to conductor 33 through the off-normal springs of the sequence switch SS and the three digit selectors. Therefore, the relay 18 will have its circuit completed in the following circuit before it has had time to deen'ergize following the deenergization ofthe series relay 12 at the end of the impulse transmission of the impulse required to set the register selector RS. This circuit starts at the ground connected to the conductor 33 by the olf-normal springs of the various selectors in Fig. 2 and includes the winding of relay 31, conductor 30, wiper 28 of selectors RS, armature 23 and make contact of relay 20, amature 8 and make contact of relay 6, resting contact and armature 13 of relay 12, resting contact and armature 17 of relay 15, and winding of relay 18 to battery. Relays 18- and 31 operate in this circuit and` the relay 18 by maintaining its armature attracted prevents the operation of tone relay 19 as described, and the relay 31 at its armature 32 connects ground to the conductor 44 to complete 'the multiple circuit of the release magnets 41, 49, 51, and 53 of the selector switches of the register group No. l. Since the operator at station A does not receive a tone he will delay the transmission of the impulses corresponding to the new signal until such tone is received. In the meantime, the release magnets 41, 49, 51. and 53 function to restore the wipers of 'the selectors to their home positions, in which positions the off-normal springs lare operated and all ground connections are removed from the conductor 33. Thus the relays 31 and 18 no longer receive ground and they delenergize.- Relay 18 now completes the circuit for the tone relay 19 and the relay 31 reconnects ground to conductor 61 to prepare the locking circuit for the relay 62.

'I'he operator at station A now receives the tone generated by the relay 19 and he then proceeds to dial the three digits of the signal which it is desired to register upon register group No. 1. 'I'heregisterequipment in Fig. 2 responds to the impulses in exactly the same manner as pre# viously described.

When the sequence switch SS takes its third' step, ground will again be connected by way of wiper 43 and conductor 73 to the winding of relay 62 and this relay will again operate to connect ground to the conductor 'l1 to start the operation of the common equipment to select No. 1V register group and to display thenew signal ,reg- 'istered therein, upon the signal display panel.

At the end of the day, the supervisor may restore all registers to normal by momentarily depressing the register release key, Figli, of each register, thereby connecting battery potential to the relay 31 of the associated register to cause that relay to operate and complete lthe release magnet circuits as previously described when that relay was operated in series with the relay 18, Fig. 1.

From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that a novel signaling system has been evolved noaa-coo by meansV of which a plurality of signals may be registered and automatically displayed one at a time upon a single display panel and that each signal may be recalled for display at any time as long as that signal remains registered and that the automatic display of signals may be arrested when it is desired to recall a signal.

This invention having been thus described. what is considered new and what it is desired to have protected byLetters Patent is pointed out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: A

1. In a signaling system, a plurality of signal registers, some of which have signals registered therein, la single signal display panel, means for marking each register having a signal registered therein, means controlled by said registers for automatically iinding each marked register, means associated'with each register and operated for a predetermined interval of time lresponsive to the finding of its associated register for c ausing the signal registered therein to be displayed upon said panel and for a predetermined period of time, means for removing the marking of a register after the registered signal has been displayed to prevent said iinding means again finding that register, and means for operating any one of said associated means to cause a registered signal to be displayed at will and for any desired length of time on said panel.

2. In 'a signaling system, a plurality of signal registers, some of which have signals registered therein, a single signal display panel, means for marking each register having a signal registered therein, means controlled by said registers for automatically finding each marked register, means associated with each register and operated for a predetermined interval of time responsive to the finding of its associated register for causing the signal registered therein to be displayed on `said panel and for 4a predetermined length means to remove the marking of thatnfegister which has had its signal displayed to prevent the finding means again ilnding a register in which the registered signal had once been displayed, and means for arresting the operation of said iinding means and for operating any one of said associated means to cause a desired registered signal to be displayed regardless of whether or not the signal had previously been displayed.

3. `In a signaling system, a plurality of signal registers, impulse transmitting means, a register selector, impulse responsive means associated with said selector and responsive to the transmission of an initial series oi' impulses for operating said selector to select o'ne of said registers, means responsive to such selection when the selected register has a signal registered therein for restoring the register to erase the signal and prepare the register for the registration of a new signal, means operating automatically responsive to the selection of a register having no signal registered therein for audibly signaling to indicate such selection, and means for preras venting the operation of said audible signaling responsive to succeeding series of impulses'corresponding to a signalfor operating the selected lregister to register that signal therein.

4. In/a signaling system, a display board, a plurality of signal registers, a register iinder,

means responsive to the registration oi! a signal in one of said registers for operating seid iinder to iind said one register, means responsive to the iinding of said one register for causing the signaly registered therein to be displayed on said board for a given length of time only, and means for operating said last mentioned means at will to cause the signal registered in said one register to be displayed on said board.

5. In a signaling system, a display board, a plurality of signal registers. some of which have signals registered therein, means controlled by said registers for finding each register having a signal registered therein, means associated with each register and operated by said rst means when the associated register is found to control said display board to display the signal registered in the found register, means controlled by said rst means for terminating each display a given length oi time after each register is found, and means operable at will to remove said ilrst means from the control of said registers and to operate the second means associated with a desired register to thereby control said board to display the signal registered in said desired register.

In a signaling system, a signal display board comprising a plurality of signaling devices, a plurality of signal registers, each register comprising 'v means set by impulses corresponding to a signal to prepare corresponding ones of said signaling devices for operation, a register iinder controlled by said registers for finding each register having a signal registered therein, means associated with each register and responsive to the finding of its associated register by said finder for operating the signaling devices prepared for operation thereby to display on said board the signal registered in said associated register, means controlled by said iinder for terminating each display a given length of time after each register is found, and means for operating at will the/last mentioned means associated with any desired register to cause the signal registered therein to be displayed on said board.

7. In a signaling system, the combination with a plurality of signal registers having different signals registered therein and a common display panel ior distinctively displaying different signals, of means operating automatically under the control of said registers for controlling said panel to distinctively display each registered signal onlyl i once and for a detlnite length of time, and means operable at will to cause the distinctive display of any desired registered signal on the display panel, and a signal for each register operated as long as any signal is registered in its associated register.

8. In a signaling system, a display board, a plurality of signal registers, a register-rinder switch, each register having a relay which is energized upon the registration of a signal therein to mark the register in the bank of said finder and to maintain itself energized, means eilective upon the energization oi one or more of said relays for operating said switch to iind each register marked in its bank. a second relay associated with each register and responsive to the finding of the associated register by said switch for causing the signal registered in the associated register to be displayed on said board, timing means effective when said switch finds a marked register to deenergize the first-mentioned relay after a predetermined lapse of time to remove the marking of the register from said bank and to cause said second relay to remove the display ,from said board, and means for operating at will the second relay of any desired register having a signal registered therein regardless of whether or not that register is marked in the bank of said switch to cause the display on said board of any desired registered signal at will and for any desired length of time.

9. In a registering system, a plurality of signal registers, a register selector, an impulse transmitting device, means responsive to an initial series of impulses for operating said selector to select one of said registers, means responsive to such selection when the selected register has no signal registered therein for indicating such selection, said iirst means responsive to succeeding series of impulses corresponding to a signal to operate the selected register to register the signal JOHN H. VOSS. 

